Colleges and Universities in Albuquerque, New Mexico: Career Training & Education

The greater metropolitan area of Albuquerque, the largest city in New Mexico, is one of the fastest-growing regions of the United States. When combined with neighbor Rio Rancho, greater Albuquerque is home to 781,447 residents. Locals refer to the New Mexico city as ABQ, taking the code for their major airport.

Forbes magazine has reported that Albuquerque offers the "lowest business cost" in the nation and the #1 place for business and careers. The 2000 United States Census survey on median household income ranked the ABQ metropolitan statistical area 127th out of 280.

Albuquerque has benefited from hosting New Mexico's Sandia National Laboratories and Kirtland Air Force Base, both of which spark rapid development of subcontracting companies in aerospace and the semiconductor industry. The so-called "New Mexico Technology Corridor" runs through the state with ABQ at its dead center.

Top Albuquerque employers include:

MCI Worldcom

America Online

Intel

Gateway Computers

CitiCorp/Citibank Credit Card Services

Sandia National Laboratories

Honeywell Defense Avionics Systems

Kaufman and Broad

Albuquerque has a per capita income of $29,453, some 89% of the national average. On the plus side, ABQ enjoys an 8.9% growth rate, a noteworthy 19% above the national growth average.